1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to fluid treating devices, and more particularly to an electromagnetic fluid treating device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electromagnetic water treating devices are fairly well known in the prior art. These devices pass the fluid to be treated through a magnetic field which may be provided by electromagnetic coils or permanent magnets. These devices generally direct a fluid flow transversely across magnetic field lines which are emitted from the magnets. Additionally, the magnetic field lines across which the fluid flows must vary in direction or magnitude.
A first category of electromagnetic fluid treating devices includes those devices which utilize permanent magnets which are disposed in surrounding relation to the fluid carrying conduit. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,652,925 to Vermeiren, 3,349,354 to Miyata, 4,210,535 to Risk, 4,265,754 to Menold, 4,265,755 to Zimmerman, and British patent No. 675,369 to Vermeiren. A second category includes those devices with permanent magnets which are located within a pipe or other container which contains the fluid being treated. Examples of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,583,522 to Winslow, et al., 2,825,464 to Mack, 3,669,274 and 3,680,705 to Happ, et al., 3,680,705 to Happ, et al., 3,923,660 to Kottmeier, 3,951,807 to Sanderson, 4,157,963 to Jessop, et al., 4,167,480 to Mach, 4,216,092 to Shalhoob, et al., 4,278,549 to Abrams, et al., 4,289,621 and 4,417,984 to O'Meara, Jr., 4,428,837 to Kronenberg, and British patent No. 675,369 to Vermeiren. With the two permanent magnet types of devices, the magnetic field lines generally are normal to the fluid flow only near the polar ends of the bar magnets. Also, the size of the magnetic field is limited by the size limitations of the permanent magnets.
A third category of electromagnetic fluid treating devices includes those devices which have one or more electromagnets which surround or are positioned alongside the conduit or container containing the fluid being treated. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 438,579 to Faunce, et al., 1,949,660 to Roberts, 2,596,743, and 2,652,925 to Vermeiren, 2,939,830 to Green, et al., 4,299,701 to Garrett, et al., 4,326,954 to Shroyer, 4,407,719 to Van Gorp, 4,659,479 to Stickler, et al., and British patent Nos. 625,732 and 675,369 to Vermeiren. U.S. Pat. Nos. 438,579 to Faunce, et al., 1,949,660 to Roberts, and 3,349,354 to Myata, also disclose imposing an electric field on the fluid in addition to the magnetic field. The patents to Faunce, et al. and Green, et al. disclose electric coils which are positioned axially at right angles to the conduit on which they are mounted. The patent to Green, et al. also discloses an electromagnet which is located within the container through which the fluid being treated flows.
A fourth category of devices is a variation on the third category wherein the device includes an impeller which is located within the fluid carrying conduit, and which is caused to rotate by the fluid flowing therethrough. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,151,090 to Fava, 4,226,720, 4,288,323 and 4,347,133 to Brigante, and 4,427,544 to Roch. The impeller in these devices is a rotating core with a helical band or blade which causes the core to rotate as the fluid passes along side the core. A direct current is used to provide electrical power for the magnetic coils in these devices. Mechanical failure in these devices could cause the core to stop rotating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,834 to Bailes, et al. discloses applying a unidirectional, varying electrical field across a portion of the flow path of a liquid dispersion to separate out the components of the dispersion. The treatment of a polluted medium such as wastewater by directly injecting audiofrequency energy into an ionized waste material to dissociate the organic compounds is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,884 to Waltrip.